Recently bought a 2005 E320 4matic/W211from someone who had the v60 cradle and phone in the car, along w/the voice control mod. Of course for all the $$ I spent, he kept his phone but left me the cradle. I got a 911 compliant MB v60 on Ebay for relatively short money. Tried the whole thing out the other night for the first time, here are my issues/questions:
1. Only way to clip the phone in is by taking OFF the battery cover-it doesn't seem to fit w/cover on (not a big deal since I think I may have an extended battery and bigger cover on there).
2. BIG ISSUE- the sound quality when making a call is terrible! I think my wife thought I was calling from underwater & I left myself a message on my office vm and I couldn't even understand myself. I've seen elsewhere on these forums some mention of software updated bulletins that will "reflash" but is this only for the MHI Bluetooth adaptor or for the v60 (or whatever) cradle itself? In other words, should I bring the car in and have a tech work their Bulletin Magic on the thing? What exactly can they do?
3. From what I understand (and for someone with no Bluetooth phone I've done more research to know more about BT pucks/adaptors etc than I ever thought possible) my tiny encased non-BT v60 antenna gives the signal strength, which is deactivated using Bluetooth. Okay, but is there any way to increase the signal from my v60? Some have made mention of antenna, signal boosters etc but what can I do w/o making my car look like the Apollo 13?

4. Finally- more of a gathering of opinion than a question. Depending on the day (and the wind) I have recently gone back and forth (and back again) between one of two scenarios to clear up this whole v60 vs. Bluetooth conundrum:
It's a given that I'm about to get a new Bluetooth phone (Moto E815 for Verizon) BUT do I give up on the whole v60-in-the-cradle, spring the $350 or so for the Bluetooth "solution" (beware whenever something is called that b/c it rarely is..) and become a happy-hands-free-W211-BluetoothPuck guy (with no doubt other issues w/this) OR do I (as several have done) upgrade my plan to a 2 number family plan, at only $10 more per month (yeah right, but a 2 year contact no doubt) w/Verizon, keep my crappy v60 in the cradle forever as a "dedicated" car phone (or until I get tired of the setup and get the BT puck- oh wait a 2 year contract you said?) and simply forward my calls from my existing main # to my new number v60 when in the car?

Don't laugh, as cumbersome as it seems several other fellow members eem to be quite happy with this arrangement. Providing I do remember to actually forward my calls when in the car, or the whole purpose is of course defeated when I'm actually answering my main phone!

Thoughts, advice opinions and plain feedback are much appreciated.

 

Ouch! I would have given you my old V60. It is my understanding they are no longer useable due to 911 requirements. I did the BT option with the E815. You are correct the outgoing audio is terrible. As you mentioned, the car antenna no longer provides signal, so there is immediate degredation as a result. I find the incoming audio quite acceptable. The VC works quit well, but I am awaiting the opportunity to have the audio "flash" done with hopes it will correct the outgoing mush. Please post your ongoing results to resolve the condition...OK?

 

The only phones that will completely integrate with the MB system are those that come from your MB dealer as the MB software (firmware) is different than the std over the counter phone. Your bad sound quality may be due to this or a bad phone itself. Think you just threw away some bucks.

 

1. The cradle should have a removable/invertable insert (where the phone sits/lyes) to accomodate a larger battery -- remove it, invert it, then put it back in place.

2. Sound quality issues were common with the v60, take it in to your preferred dealer, they should be able to reflash the AGW and improve the voice quality. Just to be certain, use your v60 to speak with your Service Advisor, that way he'll get your point.

3. The v60 makes use of the built in antennas to boost signal strength. While the v60 is docked into the cradle, the COMAND signal strength indicator does just that: indicates the signal strength; however, as I understand it, while the BT puck is plugged in, the COMAND signal indicator simply tells you that BT is active, as opposed to the strength of the signal; the BT option uses the phone's antenna, not the car's antenna; the puck merely gives you the "hands-free" functionality, without using the car's antenna's.

4. This one's a matter of personal opinion. The v60 looks/is dated and, feature-wise, pales in comparison to the current phone offerings, albeit, it does what it's meant to do - make phone calls. It integrates nicely with the COMAND and you don't have to worry about charging the phone, since it charges while it's docked.

The BT option would require regular charging by plugging it in with a 12v adapter or home charger, which, IMHO, is a step backward. Also, the voice quality of the BT connection is going to depend highly on the quality of the phone itself and the strength of the BT signal the phone puts out. "El cheepo" BT phone is likely to have poor tx/rx quality, not only with the puck, but with a handsfree earpiece or other BT device.

With that said, I'll probably have the BT puck by year's end.

 

Thanks all- I appreciate your advice & will fu on this & let you know what happens.

If you check enough posts on here as we all do, it would seem that this Bluetooth/hands-free/phone cradle thing has become an obsession for many of us. And I tend to doubt that many of us, myself included, really spend that much time on the phone in our cars! For me, the amount of time I've spent thinking and researching this compared to the actual time I would spend actually USING an integrated phone solution is pretty lopsided.

 

My phone IS 911 compliant. I thought that if I bought a Mercedes-Benz v60 phone (albeit not from the dealer I know) it would have the correct firmware? I would think if it works in the cradle then it is the correct phone (as opposed to some others who just bought a v60 phone)? Guess this is what I get for trying to save $$ for not buying an obsolete phone from the dealer.

I will try and have dealer reflash the phone software/firmware.

Where is the connection to the car phone antenna-in the trunk? Any way to ensure the connections are good or reconnect?

Also any reco's on a booster or aftermarket antenna to help with the v60 performance call-wise? I've also been getting dropped calls and no service etc w/the v60 when I'm using it in the car, even (heaven forbid) actually holding it up to my ear.

 

Another option is to get the cradle for the e815. It should be around $220. It will use the external antenna on the roof plus charge the battery.

 

What he said.

The whole goal of the MHI hands-free system in MY 2005 and newer cars is to make cradle and handset swapping a breeze. E815 is a great phone BTW.

Hints for better uplink audio quality for all phones: Don't aim the A/C vents at the bottom of the rearview mirror (it's where the microphones are) and lower fan speed during calls. If the fan sounds loud to you in the car, it sounds like a tornado to those you are talking to.